Fallout 3 - Broken Steel Released but Broken on PC

May 6th, 2009, 07:07

The Broken Steel DLC for Fallout 3 has been released and, according to reports, is broken on the PC and has achievement/gamerscore issues on the X360. Issues first started popping up in this thread on the official forums and sites like Eurogamer and Edge Online followed with reports. From Eurogamer:

It looks as though there's a problem with the PC version of Fallout 3's latest downloadable content add-on, Broken Steel.
According to early posts on the Bethesda Softworks forum and our own experiences here, the DLC downloads and then throws up an error. […]
Bethesda has been in touch to update us on the PC version: "We're seeing the same error, which is a Games for Windows Live DRM Install error. Microsoft is working on fixing it, and we'll let everyone know once we've verified it."

Apparently the X360 gamerscore problem is a "synch" issue with the servers that will correct automatically, with no loss of Achievements.
Broken Steel was withdrawn for the PC but I can't log in to GfWL at the moment to check the current status.
In related news, Planet Fallout has the "ultimate Broken Steel inteview":

So what new things will be introduced with Broken Steel?

Broken Steel presents the player with several new things. First and foremost, we’ve removed the ending of the game as seen in Fallout 3 and created a smooth transition to a set of brand new quests that picks up right where “Take It Back!” left off. In addition to that, the game no longer ends after the Main Quest… you’ll be able to adventure through the Wasteland as long as you wish. Second, we’ve raised the level cap from 20 to 30 to help accommodate the fact that the game no longer has a finite ending. Third, we’ve provided a large amount of new content to the game to keep the challenge level high for upper-level players: multiple new creatures and NPC types, new weapons, new armor, and new perks. Last but not least, we altered parts of the Wasteland to reflect all the changes that occurred due to the player’s actions in the Main Quest with new encounters, additional “Water Quests” and new locations.

Nope, haven't successfully bought any of them. The first one wouldn't sell to Oceania until I lost interest, the second had some sort of Live marketplace problem with me buying points (and then I lost interest again) and this one is (currently) broken, plus my GfWL client won't log in.

If Microsoft really thinks this system is good for PC gaming…well, the joke's on all of us. If it's a plot to kill PC gaming and drive us all to consoles, they're doing a good job.

Fortunately, I don't really care enough about more FO3 content for it to be a real issue.

Originally Posted by skavenhorde
It wasn't their fault the first time either…

So if they screw their next 12 DLCs because of the DRM and/or Games for Windows Live, will it still not be their fault? Is it the fault of their server management? If it is, maybe they should look at a switch.

Second, we’ve raised the level cap from 20 to 30 to help accommodate the fact that the game no longer has a finite ending. Third, we’ve provided a large amount of new content to the game to keep the challenge level high for upper-level players: multiple new creatures and NPC types, new weapons, new armor, and new perks.

If this is true, F3 is approaching to what I would have wanted to see in the beginning. Im going to download and try the DLC packages this upcoming summer.

— Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind. - John F Kennedy
An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. - Mahatma Gandhi
The world is my country. To do good is my religion. My mind is my own church. This simple creed is all we need to enjoy peace on earth. - Thomas Paine

Originally Posted by kalniel
I do - this DLC should turn FO3 into the game it always should have been IMHO. It was already enjoyable, but this will make it better for me, and I don't begrudge paying a fair price for it.

I'm not sure what your last point is - I don't begrudge paying a fair price. In fact, I've tried numerous time to give them the money* but either GfWL failed or the product was broken. At some point, I think to myself, why am I jumping through hoops trying (but failing) to buy more content for a game I didn't finish entirely in the first place (as in, I still have 30% of the locations undiscovered)?

For me, it was always an impulse/curiosity purchase but that process has been an absolute shambles, so far.

I'm happy for you if the process has been up to standard and you have the game you want.

*actually, more money because of the stupid MS points thing. Is "more" a "fair" amount?

Originally Posted by kalniel
I do - this DLC should turn FO3 into the game it always should have been IMHO. It was already enjoyable, but this will make it better for me, and I don't begrudge paying a fair price for it.

I have no problem with the concept of DLCs, but the way most companies are using them they're essentially cash cows, if not outright scams. The fact that no one protests this is a major concern for the gaming industry, whose products are already overpriced anyway.

Originally Posted by Brother None
I have no problem with the concept of DLCs, but the way most companies are using them they're essentially cash cows, if not outright scams. The fact that no one protests this is a major concern for the gaming industry, whose products are already overpriced anyway.

That's not a concern, that's money in the pocket which is EXACTLY what the players of the industry want. People are buying it, which means they want to pay for this kind of content at this price level.

Consumers, publishers, and developers are happy.

I'm not happy about this or the industry, but that's irrelevant unfortunately.

Originally Posted by kalniel
Well I don't yet, I've been waiting for them to iron out the problems, but I'll have a look at it over the weekend and work out whether it's value for money for me and buy it if so.

To update, I see that while the problems might have been fixed, it's £8.50 in the UK, which is to be honest quite a lot. But then again NWN2:MoW was £10 and while it had more content on the first play through, Broken Steel is the kind of thing I'll make use of just spending time playing FO3 now that it's open ended, which could easily end up adding 30-40 hours for me. Very tricky choice. I think if I could just pay for the DLC without having to go through a stupid cost-disguising MS point(less) excercise I'd be more happy to buy it.